Benenden Hospital

Peter Ellis and Jane Abbott detail the pitfalls of meetings and how the kidney care leader can avoid these

Peter Ellis and Jane Abbott explore the use of group supervision, as well as how it compares and contrasts to one-to-one supervision

Peter Ellis and Jane Abbott explore the use of group supervision, as well as how it compares and contrasts to one-to-one supervision

Policies ensure that everyone is aware of the rules that govern an activity, and, as such, they help to ensure the standardised provision of healthcare. As a kidney care leader, it may be necessary at some point to create a policy for your team, and this can be a daunting task. In this article, Peter Ellis and Jane Abbott explore what an effective policy should do, and provide some useful tips on how to write one

Change is an inevitable part of healthcare, but most people feel resistant to adjustments to their workplace or the way they carry out their tasks. In the third part of this series, Peter Ellis and Jane Abbott explain step three of Lewin's ‘unfreezing, changing, refreezing’ model, and discuss how it can be applied to make staff feel supported while embedding the new way of working.

In the second part of this series of articles, Peter Ellis and Jane Abbott delve deeper into the practice of active listening, advising on how to be empathetic, showing the speaker that their feelings are important and using all the senses to listen. They also give examples of how to formulate questions to create the right environment for the other person to speak their mind.

In a health service that continues to face significant challenges, it is important for people to feel they are listened to and valued, in order for them to succeed in their roles. Good communication from management can help build a positive rapport with their staff. Peter Ellis and Jane Abbott discuss seven considerations for good communication and how they apply to renal leaders.

As part of a series looking at Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections, Peter Ellis and Jane Abbott consider the two key questions: is the service effective and caring, and what is needed to meet these requirements?. They look at the various areas that come within these categories, such as are staff aware of the needs of people with dementia, and does the service recognise diversity in all its forms?